Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are bacterial pathogens involved in food-borne diseases. Shiga toxin (Stx) is the main virulence factor of STEC and is responsible for systemic complications including Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). It has been previously demonstrated that Shiga toxin type 2 (Stx2) induces pregnancy loss in rats in early stage of pregnancy. The main purpose of this study was to determine if an active immunization prevents Stx2 mediated pregnancy loss and confers passive protective immunity to the offspring. For that purpose Sprague Dawley female rats were immunized with the chimera based on the enzyme lumazine synthase from Brucella spp. (BLS) and the B subunit of Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2B) named BLS-Stx2B. After immunization females were mated with males. At day 8 of gestation, dams were challenged intraperitoneally with a sublethal and abortifacient dose of Stx2. The immunization induced high anti-Stx2B-specific antibody titers in sera and most important, prevented pregnancy loss. Pups born and breastfeed by immunized dams had high anti-Stx2B-specific antibody titers in sera. Cross-fostering experiments indicated that passive protective immunity against Stx2 was transmitted through lactation. These results indicate that immunization of adult female rats with BLS-Stx2B prevents Stx2-induced pregnancy loss and confers anti Stx2 protective immunity to the offspring. 相似文献
Objective: to obtain locally valid reference values (RVs) from existing nerve conduction study (NCS) data.Methods: we used age, sex, height and limb temperature-based mixture model clustering (MMC) to identify normal and abnormal measurements on NCS data from two university hospitals. We compared MMC-derived RVs to published data; examined the effect of using different variables; validated MMC-derived RVs using independent data from 26 healthy control subjects and investigated their clinical applicability for the diagnosis of polyneuropathy.Results: MMC-derived RVs were similar to published RVs. Clustering can be achieved using only sex and age as variables. MMC is likely to yield reliable results with fewer abnormal than normal measurements and when the total number of measurements is at least 300. Measurements from healthy controls fell within the 95% MMC-derived prediction interval in 97.4% of cases.Conclusions: MMC can be used to obtain RVs from existing data, providing a locally valid, accurate reflection of the (ab)normality of an NCS result.Significance: MMC can be used to generate locally valid RVs for any test for which sufficient data are available.1相似文献
ObjectivesThe aim of this study was twofold. First, to confirm the deleterious aspect of evening screen exposure in school-aged children, in particular the effect of screens in the bedroom. Second, to explore the three-way association between degree of screen exposure, sleep disturbance, and ADHD symptoms. Solid evidence exists on the link between sleep disturbance and ADHD symptoms, and screen exposure and sleep disturbance. However, no studies have formally assessed the impact of screen exposure on ADHD symptoms in children, as a function of sleep disturbance.MethodsParents of 374 French children (201 girls, 173 boys, mean age of 10.8 ± 2.8 years old) completed the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC), the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Rating Scale, and a questionnaire about their children's screen habits (total hours in the morning, afternoon, and evening per day). Correlational analyses between evening screen exposure, sleep quality and behavioral problems were conducted. Then, formal mediation analyses were run in order to quantify the relationship between variables.ResultsSchool-aged children with screens in their bedrooms demonstrated more sleep and behavioral problems. Evening TV exposure was associated with higher SDSC and ADHD scores. Furthermore, the Structural Equation Modelling approach confirmed that evening screen exposure is directly associated with more disrupted sleep, which in turn is directly associated with behavioral problems.ConclusionsThese findings encourage families to avoid putting screens in their children's bedrooms, and limit evening screen exposure. They furthermore demonstrate the importance of taking into account screen exposure time (morning, afternoon, evening) and location (bedroom or elsewhere) in future studies. 相似文献
The focus of this study is to establish a characterization method determining the powder flowability in context of tableting. At first, flowability of different materials is measured using the ring shear tester, and its prediction from particle size is established. Next, the model die-filling system is presented which is a modified version of previous studies. Using this system, flowability of different materials is measured at varying die speeds. A new curve fit to assess die fill ratio vs die speed is suggested improving predictability, and a novel flowability metric, “Die Fill Index” (DFI), is derived. The DFI is appropriate to describe flowability for most of the tested materials, and sensitivity of a material with respect to tableting speed. A correlation is generated predicting DFI from particle size. Additionally, it is shown that model die filling is the preferable method to assess flowability for tableting compared to ring shear tester. 相似文献
Objectives: Currently in Ghana, there is an on-going task-shifting strategy in which nurses are trained in hypertension management. While this study will provide useful information on the viability of this approach, it is not clear how patients in the intervention perceive hypertension, the task-shifting strategy, and its effects on blood pressure management. The objective of this paper is to examine patients’ perceptions of hypertension and hypertension management in the context of an on-going task-shifting intervention to manage blood pressure control in Ghana.
Design: Forty-two patients participating in the Task Shifting Strategy for Hypertension program (23 males, 19 females, and mean age 61. 7 years) completed in-depth, qualitative interviews. Interviews were transcribed, and key words and phrases were extracted and coded using the PEN-3 Cultural Model as a guide through open and axial coding techniques, thus allowing rich exploration of the data.
Results: Emergent themes included patients’ perceptions of hypertension, which encompassed misperceptions of hypertension and blood pressure control. Additional themes included enablers and barriers to hypertension management, and how the intervention nurtured lifestyle change associated with blood pressure control. Primary enabling factors included the supportive nature of TASSH nurses, while notable barriers were financial constraints and difficulty accessing medication. Nurturing factors included the motivational interviewing and patient counseling which instilled confidence in the patients that they could make lasting behavior changes.
Conclusions: This study offers a unique perspective of blood pressure control by examining how patients view an on-going task-shifting initiative for hypertension management. The results of this study shed light on factors that can help and hinder individuals in low-resource settings with long-term blood pressure management. 相似文献
目的探讨3D打印模型在儿童先天性脊柱侧凸治疗中的应用疗效。方法回顾性分析2015年12月至2016年12月于首都医科大学附属北京儿童医院接受手术治疗的83例先天性脊柱侧凸患儿临床及影像学资料,根据是否使用3D打印模型分为试验组(n=44)和对照组(n=39),比较两组手术时间、术中透视次数、置钉准确性、矫形效果及并发症情况。结果本研究共纳入83例先天性脊柱侧凸患儿,其中男童47例,女童36例,平均手术年龄5.98 (1.5~13)岁。行半椎体切除术40例,Ponte截骨术31例,经椎弓根截骨术8例,全脊椎切除术4例。随访时间24~35个月。试验组患儿手术时间短于对照组[(180.92±16.74) min (201.51±27.60) min],差异有统计学意义(t=2.798,P<0.05),试验组术中出血量[(340.23±89.52) mL vs.(392.64±100.41) mL]及术中透视次数(4.36±0.89 6.05±1.28)明显少于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);试验组置钉准确率高于对照组(93.55%vs 79.91%)(X^2=218.00,P<0.05),平均置钉时间明显短于对照组[(4.24±1.05) min vs.(8.35±2.29) min],差异有统计学意义(t=10.71,P<0.05)。两组患儿矫形率无明显差异(t=-1.135,P=0.272)。试验组与对照组患儿术后胸膜损伤、硬膜损伤发生率无明显差异(P>0.05)。结论 3D打印模型能清晰、直观显示先天性脊柱侧凸患儿的脊柱结构及形态,为制定手术计划及手术置钉提供帮助,从而提高置钉准确率,减少术中透视次数,缩短手术时间,减少术中出血量。 相似文献